As the anniversary of a grim discovery approaches, Ontario Provincial Police are reaching out to the community for any information that could help solve a decades-old mystery.
On Thursday, investigators renewed their appeal for witnesses who may have encountered Tammy Eileen Penner during the summer of 2005. The 41-year-old woman from Chilliwack, B.C., traveled across the country that year, and her movements through Ontario remain largely unknown.
Officers discovered human remains in a wooded picnic area along Highway 7 between Rockwood and Guelph on Aug. 28, 2005. For nearly two decades, the identity of the deceased remained a mystery. It wasn't until 2024 that genetic genealogy technology confirmed the remains belonged to Penner, who had been reported missing to the RCMP on Feb. 7, 2005.
Police have pieced together fragments of Penner's final journey. Before arriving in Ontario, she resided in both Chilliwack and Abbotsford. On Thursday, June 30, 2005, she visited the Midland Mall in Midland, Ontario. Roughly a month later, on or around Saturday, July 30, 2005, a transport truck driver may have dropped her off at the now-closed Husky Truck Stop located at Highway 401 and Dixie Road in Mississauga.
Witnesses reported seeing Penner near a cream- or beige-colored transport truck after she was dropped off. She may have been dressed in a beige tank top paired with black corduroy fabric shorts and carrying a blue sleeping bag, according to the OPP.
Investigators believe someone moved Penner's body into the wooded location about a month before the discovery. When officers found her, she was covered by a 'Woods' brand sleeping bag. Police determined that her clothing had been bought in the Montreal area.
Physical evidence suggests Penner had endured previous trauma. She had sustained injuries to her left cheekbone, nose, and the area around her left eye that had mended before her death. She also used a partial denture that replaced two upper teeth.
Authorities have classified her death as suspicious and continue working to determine the cause.
"The identification of Tammy with the assistance of investigative genetic genealogy was an important step, but many questions remain unanswered. We're asking anyone who remembers seeing Tammy to please come forward, no matter how insignificant the information may seem," Det.-Insp. Randy Gaynor said in a statement. "Her family has waited many years for answers and our investigative team remains committed to uncovering the truth and providing them with resolution."
Anyone with information about Penner's movements during the summer of 2005, or any details related to this case, is urged to contact the Ontario Provincial Police.
